Local area in spotlight on 'Family Travel'

TV host and travel guide Colleen Kelly explores must-see locations and attractions throughout the United States and abroad, sharing expert travel tips and insights to create easier family vacations filled with once-in-a-lifetime memories.

\The attractive traveler and her two young daughters visited the Pensacola area in mid-April when she and her film crew shot the local area for two programs.

The first one, "24/7,'' which has already aired in the Chicago area, was aimed at the Chicago audience, which seems to gravitate toward the Pensacola area for vacations.

"Family Travel with Colleen Kelly'' airs nationally on PBS, and the Pensacola episode will air next March when families begin their vacation plans.

Here, Kelly speaks to Bella about her reaction to the city:

• Bella: What did you shoot for the Chicago viewer and why?

• Kelly: We did a mixology segment at The Fish House, where we made Fish House Punch, their signature drink. We shucked oysters at Peg Leg Pete's. And we saw the Blue Angels. The focus of "24/7" is revealing city secrets, and we wanted to show the fun and exciting side of Pensacola.

• Bella: Did you know before you arrived in Pensacola what you were shooting and where you were going?

• Kelly: Before we arrived in Pensacola, we developed a detailed schedule of where we were planning to shoot. We picked the locations by doing a lot of research on all that the area has to offer and by working with the Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. They know Pensacola inside and out, and they gave us good information about some of the best family-friendly attractions to include on "Family Travel with Colleen Kelly."

One of Pensacolaâ??s star attractions is the famed Navy Blue Angels. The showâ??s hostess, Colleen Kelly, was delighted to visit with one of the team members, Lt. Cmdr. John Hiltz, while filming the travel show.(Photo: Photo Special to Bella)

• Bella: What did you shoot here?

• Kelly: A Blue Wahoos game, the National Naval Aviation Museum and National Flight Academy, a Blue Angels practice, a Pensacola Lighthouse tour, Historic Pensacola Village, lunch at Peg Leg Pete's, downtown Pensacola, the boardwalk at Pensacola Beach, parasailing at Key Sailing Co., mixology at The Fish House (for "24/7" only), Artworks Studio & Gallery, Sandshaker Lounge (for "24/7" only) and Joe Patti's Seafood. Please note that we do plan to include all of these attractions, but we cannot guarantee that every one of them will make it into the final episode.

• Bella: What impressed you the most? When will it air?

• Kelly: I was impressed with the Convention and Visitors Bureau, because they do a great job of shining a light on Pensacola as a family travel destination. I loved the beautiful and pristine the beaches — I've never seen sand that white. But also, I was impressed that Pensacola is not just your average beach town. There are so many other things to do, from the Blue Angels to the Historic Village to a minor league baseball team with an amazing stadium. And many of the activities are free or very reasonable. At the Blue Wahoos game, I couldn't believe that no ticket costs more than $10. And seeing the Blue Angels is free.

We shot for four days. We squeezed a lot into that time frame. This was my first time in Pensacola. It was a relatively easy shoot. We had a few weather complications to deal with, but the Convention and Visitors Bureau was very helpful as we adjusted the schedule to work around the weather.

The Pensacola episode will be part of the second season of "Family Travel with Colleen Kelly," which airs in spring 2015. Season two can't begin until we've filmed all 13 episodes, and that takes about a year. We also want to start the new season in the spring because that's a prime vacation-planning and TV viewership time.

Colleen Kelly spends time with her daughters at a Blue Wahoos game.(Photo: Photo Special to Bella)

• Bella: Do you weary of traveling?

• Kelly: I never get tired of traveling. I'm always up for the next adventure, and I'm always inspired by the beautiful and exciting destinations I get to visit. I travel one or two times a month. The most difficult thing is being away from my family. But thankfully, they often travel with me, and we get to make memories and experience these incredible places together.

I am not a very light packer. As a TV host, I need to bring a lot of outfits and backup outfits. But I try to not go overboard. I usually check one bag and carry one on. I love trying new food in the places we visit. It's always a learning experience.

It was always my dream to be a travel host, but it took me a while to figure out how to make that dream a reality. I now know that the key is a lot of hard work behind the scenes.

• Bella: Offer a few tips for women travelers.

• Kelly: My advice for women travelers is to do research and planning on the front end so you can relax and enjoy your destination once you arrive. Women tend to take on a lot of responsibility, and this includes feeling responsible for everyone having a great time on vacation. So do the advance work, then when your trip starts, let go and have fun. You can't control everything. If there are problems, be flexible and roll with it. If you take this laid-back approach, you will enjoy the time to yourself or the time with loved ones so much more.

"Family Travel with Colleen Kelly"airs on PBS. For local air times, go to www.FamilyTravelCK.com, and check with your service provider.